One of the leading magazines in the country, India Today has prepared a list of the best colleges in India for this year.

Using data from the Internet, various published reports and the Association of Indian Universities Handbook, the publication partnered with global marketing and advertising research company Nielsen to draw up a list of over 1,500 colleges across 11 distinct disciplines.

Faculties from leading institutes across the country rated all but their own colleges and universities on the basis of reputation, quality of academic input, student care, infrastructure and job prospects; those that figured high up in the rankings also had to submit factual data to figure in the list.

In the following pages, we bring you the top 10 arts colleges from across the nation.

1. St Stephen's College, Delhi

In last year's rankings, St Stephen's had lost its first place to Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi.

This year, however, it has emerged as the top college for both arts and science as per the India Today rankings.

Established in 1881, it was first affiliated to Calcutta University, then Punjab University and finally the University of Delhi in 1922.

The college prides itself in having created leaders who’ve ruled the state and country.

Prominent leaders who have graduated from this institution include minister of state for HRD Shashi Tharoor, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and minister of state for corporate affairs Sachin Pilot.